Annunciator for checkers and similar games.



A. NELSON. I ANNUNCIATOR FOR CHECKERS AND SIMILAR GAMES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, I912.

Patented Jan. 11, 19164 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ITLU GTLTO1" arzfl'liorud 71 8 1601b jg Q123 lv/ijjmesses A. N ELSON. ANNUNCIATOR FO R CHECKERS AND SIM ILAR GAMES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, I912.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lllllllll'l'lllIL wiihesses i" 1 i ANTHONY NELSON, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

ANNUNCIATOR FOR CHECKERS AND SIMILAR GAMES.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

Application filed November 18, 1912. Serial No. 732,014.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY NELSON, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at St.

Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Annunciators for Checkers and Similar Games, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ann unciators for checkers and similar games. Its object is to automatically illustrate upon a display surfacethe movements and posi-. tions of men in a game of checkers.

A further object is to provide an improved annunciator whereby either of the opposeed.

men or kings in the game may be distinctly portrayed atv any of the playing positions.

A'further object is to provide means for indicating a man about to be put in play or removed from the game. I

In the' drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the annunciator partly broken away to show its interior construction; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation in detail partly broken away and illustrating the switching mechanism for operating the lampswithin the annunciator; Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating in detail a portion of the switching mechanism and also representing diagrammatically the electrical connections between said mechanism and certain lamps in the annunciator; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view in detail showing the different positions assumed by one member thereof to the screen 12.

of said switching mechanism, and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in detail of one ofsaid members.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference letter A to indicate the annunciator and B to indicate the automatic operating station from which the lamps within the annunciator are controlled.

ments 10 correspond in positions with the dead squares of a checker-board and the compartments 1'1, with the playing squares thereon.

tube or closure 13 extending from the back An opaque mask 14, formed with a central circular opening, is arranged in each compartment adjacent to Said compartments .11 are each supplied with a centrally arranged opaque afiixed to the inner side of the screen within each tube 13 to symbolize'a king. Any suitable source of light may be employed Within the compartments 10 for illuminating portions of the screen to represent the dead squares of a checker-board. The compartments 11 each contain incandescent lamps 15, 16 and 17 the lamp 15 being colored red, the lamp 17, green, and the lamp 16 being of the ordinary type andarranged within the tube The light from the lamps 15 and 17 passes'through the opening in the mask 14: and illuminates in color a circular portion on the screen 12, thus indicating a man in playing position, on said screen. Rays of lightfrom the lamp 16 illuminate the portion of the screen 12 at the mouth of the tube, except that part covered by the opaque sign, above mentioned, thus producing a light background for said sign and causing the same to be readily observed. Said lamps 15 and 17 are adapted to be lighted singly to indicate a man of one side or the other, andthe lamp 16 is adapted to be lighted in conjunction with either of said lamps 15 or 17 to indicate the rank of the 18 provided with adjustable standards 19 at its base and an automatic switching mechanism G and rheostat D inclosed within said housing. Said switching mechanism and rheostat are electrically connected with a source of current by wires passing through the flexible cable 20 to the lamps 15, 16 and 17 of the annunciator as will be more fully hereinafter described.

The switching mechanism C consists of a power-driven record 21, a plurality of switch V arms 22 operated by said record and a termmal board 23 with which said arms contact. The record 21 is a hollow cylinder in its periphery. This record is mounted formed wlth laterally arranged grooves 24:

upon the cylinder 23, which is provided with journals 26 and 27 revoluble in the journal bearings 28 and 29 of the frame 30. The motor 31 is operatively connected with the journal 26 of the cylinder 25 through the pulleys 32 and 33, belt 3i and gears 35, 36, 37 and 38, for slowly turning said cylinder and record. The record 21 is designed to be removed from the cylinder 25 to allow substitution. The journal bearing 29 for the journal 27 is formed on the hanger 39 which is pivotally mounted at one end on the frame 30 and secured in normal position by the latch to on the opposite side of said frame. This bearing and hanger are swung aside from their normal positions to permit the placing and removal of records on and from said cylinder.

A plurality of identical switch arms 22, (one for each lamp in the compartments 11 of the annunciator A) are arranged above the record 21 and adjacent to each other. Each of these arms comprises a base 41 of nonconducting material. This base is pivoted at one end on the shaft 42 in the frame 30 and is kcrfed at its other end. The conducting bar 13, secured to the upper edge of said base at one end, is provided at its free end with a contact point 44: and heel 45. The conducting blade 46, pivotally secured in the kerfed end of the base i1, is formed on its lower edge with teeth 4L7, 48, P.) and 50, gradually increasing in length from the first to the last, and is also formed with a hook 51 extending upwardly above the con ducting bar 48, the shank of said hook being insulated from said bar by the fiber sheet 52. A downwardly inclined runner 53 for said switch arm is embedded or otherwise secured in the base etl. flhi's runner is adapted to ride upon the periphery of a certain lateral'section of the record 21 or fall within the groove or grooves in said section.

Extending longitudinally across the terminal board 23, of nonconducting material, are elongated grooves 23, partially filled with mercury -or similar conducting fluid, and forming terminals 55, 56, 57, 58 and- 59. Each groove has a metallic lining 60 provided with a terminal post 60. The lining 60 of the terminal 55 overlaps a portion of the surface of said board 23 and forms a continuous metallic contact plate 61 for said terminal 55. This terminal board rests upon adjustable thumb screws 62 threaded in the frame 30 and is held in position with respect to the switch arms whereby the terminal points it and heels 15 of the bars 4.3 may engage respectively the terminal 55 and its metallic contact plate 61, and the teeth 4:7, 48, 49 and 50 of the blade 46 may engage respectively the terminals 56, 57, 5S and 59.

The rheostat D consists of a plurality of ordinary incandescent lamps electrically connected in branches 63, 6 1, 65 and 66, as shown in Fig. 5.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, the electrical connections between the parts of my device may be traced. The wire 67 connects the positive pole of the generator 68 with one terminal of each of the lamps 15, 16 and 17, the opposite terminals of which are each connected by a wire 69 to the bar 43 of its switch arm 22. The terminal 55 in the terminal board 23 is connected by the wire 70 directly with the negative pole of the generator 68, while the remaining terminals 56, 57, 58 and 59 are connected by the wires 71 respectively, to the branches 63, 64, 65 and 66 of the. rheostat D. Said branches communicate with the return wire 72 which extends to the negative pole of said generator.

In operation, the annunciator A is placed in a conspicuous position and the station B is situated in any convenient location. The motor is electrically connected with a source of power to turn the record 21 and the switch arms are raised and lowered by said record to light or extinguish the lamps 15, '16 and 17, in the annunciator A, and thereby display on the screen 12 of the annunciator, the moves and positions of men in a game of checkers. The switch arms 22 are each constructed, connected with a lamp and operated identically, and a description in detail of the operation of one arm will answer for all. These arms 22 are supported upon the terminal board 23' in posi tion indicated by heavy lines in Fig. 6 when their inclined runners 53 rest within the grooves 21- of the record 21. Each of these runners engages the record at the end of its groove and is raised to'position riding upon the periphery of said record, thus elevating the switch arm to position indicated in dotted lines 71. In the lowered position, current passing from the generator 68 through the lamp 17 to the contact point ll of the vi re 43, is returned directly through the terminal 55 to said generator, thus lighting said lamp. The movement of the arm 22 to a position indicated in dotted lines by 75 engages the hook 51 of the blade 46 with the bar 43.

slightly before the contact between the tooth 41 of said bar and the terminal 55 is broken. The current, now instead of returning directly to the generator, passes from the teeth -17, 48, i9 and 50 through their respective terminals 56, 57, 58 and 5S) and rheostat sections 63, 6%, 65 and 66 to the generator 68. Further movement of the arm 22 raises said teeth consecutively from contact with their terminals, thus cutting out one after the other, their respective rheo stat branches, which unitedly form a substantially non-resisting path for the ourrent as it returns to the generator from the lamp 17. The successive disconnection of the rheostat sections confines the current to the remaining operative sections and forms a gradually increasing resistance-to the current, which continues to dim the lamp 17 until the last tooth 50 is disengaged from its terminal 59, thereby extinguishing the lamp. The runner 53 of the arm 22 falls abruptly into its groove and instantly lowers its arm, thus causing the lamp 17 to be instantly lighted.

The thumb screws (32 are manipulated to secure the proper positions of the terminal board 23 with respect to the switch arms 22, and the standards 19 of the housing 18 are adjusted to level the station B. 7

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the class described, the

combination of an electric annunciator, a

source of electric current, lamps for said annunciator, a rheostat having a plurality of current resisting sections, a plurality of electric terminals, one of said terminals being directly connected with the source of current and each of the remaining terminals being connected with said source through one of said rheostat sections, movable-switch arms severally connected through said lamp with said source of current, each of said arms being adapted first to engage said terminals to complete a circuit through its lamp and the source of current, secondly to engage only said second mentioned terminals to complete the circuitthrough its lamp, source of current and rheostat, and

then be successively disengaged from said second mentioned terminals to confine the current to a decreasing number of rheostat sections, and thirdly to be disengaged from all of said terminals, whereby its lamp is respectively lighted, dimmed and extinguished.

2. In a device of the'class described, the combination of aplurality of compartments arranged to'correspond with the playing squares of a checker-board, a plurality of electric lamps in said compartments, a second compartment, Within each of said first mentioned compartments, containing .an electric lamp, a source of current, a terminal connected through said source of,current with each lamp, a plurality of .movable switch arms, adapted to engage said terminal, each of said arms being connected with a lamp, and means for severally Shifting said arms to engage the same with or disengage the same from said terminal, whereby the circuit through said source of current and the rcspectivelamps of said arms will be completed or broken.

In a device of the class described, the combination of an electric annunciator, a

source of electric current, lamps for said annunciator, a rheostat having a plurality of nal being directly connected with said 1 source of current and each of the other terminals being connected with said source of current through a rheostat section, tiltable arms electrically connected through said lamps with the source of current, a powerdriven cylindrical record having transverse portions thereof formed to engage and connect certain arms with or disconnect .the same'from said terminals, each of said arms being adapted first to engage said terminals to complete a circuit through its lamp and the source of current, secondly to engage only said second mentioned terminals to complete the circuit through its lamp, source of current and rheostat'and then to be successively disengaged from said second mentioned terminals to confine the current to a decreasing number of rheostat scctions,.an(l thirdly to be disengaged from all of said terminals, whereby its lamp is respectively lighted, dimmed and extinguished.

4:. In a device of the class described, the

combination of an electric annunciator, a source of electric current, lamps for said annunciator, a rheostat having a plurality of current resisting sections, a terminal board having a plurality of terminals, one of said terminals being connected with said source of current and each of the remaining terminals being connected with said source through one of said rheostat sections, movable arms severally connected through said lamps with the source of current, each of said arms comprising a bar adapted to form a contact with said first mentioned terminal and a blade pivoted with respect to the bar, said blade being adapted to make a contact with said second mentioned terminals, means for raising and lowering each arm to first disengage the bar thereof from its terminal, secondly to successively disconnect the blade from its terminals and thirdly to reengage "said bar and blade with said terminals.

5. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a plurality of compartments compartments, a source of current, a terminal connected through said source of current with each lamp, a plurality of movable switch arms, adapted to engage said terminal, each of said arms being connected with a lamp, and means for severally shiftmg said arms to engage the same wlth or disengage the same from said terminal, whereby Correction in Letters Patent No. 1,167,423.

the circuit through said source of current and the respective lamps of said arms will be completed or broken.

(3. In an annunciator, a plurality of compartments arranged to correspond with the playing squares of a checker-board, an inner compartment within each of said first-mentioned compartments, a source of electric current, a plurality of electric lamps within said compartments, each of said lamps being included in an electric circuit with said source of power and automatic-ally-operated means also included within each circuit for completing and breaking the same.

7. In a device of the class described, an annunciator having lamps, a source of our rent. a housing, adjustable standards for said housing, a terminal board within the housing supplied with a plurality of fluid Patent Office.

improvement in Annunciators for Checkers and Similar Games,

contact whereby said lamps are lighted, and

extinguished.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANTHONY NELSON. WVitnesses F. M. HARDY, F. C. CAswnLL.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,167 ,423, granted January 11, 1916, uponthe application of Anthony Nelson, of St. Paul, Minnesota, for an an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 112, for

the word wire read bar; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Signed and sealed this 1st day of February, A. D., 1916.

J. T. NEWTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

